Turkish party to challenge election decision

Everyone and all sections - and the main opposition party in particular- must show respect.

Anti-government demonstrators shout slogans during a protest in the Kadikoy district of Istanbul, Turkey, April 17, 2017.

Turkey's electoral authority on Wednesday rejected appeals to annul a referendum granting President Tayyip Erdogan wide new powers, but the main opposition CHP party said it would maintain its legal challenge to the result.

The opposition has cited several problems with how the vote was conducted.

Mr Yildirim also said that the electoral board would rule on the main opposition Republican People's Party's request for the referendum's annulment.

The opposition is particularly incensed by a last-minute move by the YSK to accept ballot documents in envelopes without an official stamp.

Demonstrations have been held across Turkey to protest the YSK decision to consider the unstamped ballots valid.

In an address to legislators from his ruling party on Tuesday, Binali Yildirim said the people had voted to switch from a parliamentary to a presidential system, adding: the "opposition should not speak after the people have spoken".

Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the victory of his supporters in referendum in Turkey, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has angrily rejected criticism by worldwide monitors of the referendum result that has granted him extra powers but is disputed by the opposition and has exposed bitter divisions in the country.

"The German government takes the report by the OSCE and the Council of Europe very seriously, and we expect Turkey to do so", government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer told reporters in Berlin.

The two leaders also discussed Turkey's support for the USA response to a Syrian chemical weapons attack and efforts to counter the Islamic State group, according to a White House summary of their phone call Monday.

Trump telephoned Erdogan on Monday to "congratulate" him on "his referendum victory" and to discuss last week's US cruise missile strike on Syria and cooperation in the campaign there against the Islamic State, a White House statement said.